Communications Internship, Governance Studies

Overview

Thinking about a career in public policy? Committed to improving the world we live in? Think Brookings - one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks!  

Interns spend approximately 12 weeks working alongside leading experts in government and academia from all over the world. Brookings also offers students the opportunity to intern in departments such as communications, human resources and central operations management. The mission of the Internship Program is to provide students with a pre-professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work experience related to their field of study or career interest. Students engage in career exploration and development as well as learn new skills.   

Interns will have the opportunity to attend meetings, think tank events, professional development workshops, and public Brookings events.  In addition, interns will have the opportunity to network with other interns throughout the Institution.  

This internship is an opportunity for undergraduate students in their junior or senior year and graduate students pursuing a masters degree with an interest in communications, media relations, journalism, digital strategy, and/or public policy to apply principles and theory learned in the classroom in a professional environment. PhD students are not eligible for internships; please visit our Careers page for current open positions. This internship pays an hourly rate of $17.50, and applicants must be willing to commit to a minimum number of hours per week (no less than 25 hours per week, during regular business hours), with some flexibility around an academic course schedule.

To learn more about Brookings research programs, click here. 

Position Location: This internship requires you to be located in the U.S. for the duration of the internship. This is a hybrid opportunity. Hybrid positions combine regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC, office with the option of remote work. Work location cannot be in any of the following states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.  Please only apply if you can live and work in states other than those listed above for the duration of the internship.  

Responsibilities

Students will provide direct support to the Governance Studies communications team and have an opportunity to learn a variety of communication skills such as media relations, social media communication, paper editing, blogging, web publishing, and dissemination of publications and scholarly work.  

Interns will work on a variety of tasks including, but not limited to: 

• Researching and identifying relevant media targets and updating media lists to reflect editorial staff and beat changes. 
• Helping to draft social media language and content, especially for Twitter. 
• Copy editing blog posts, reports, etc. 
• Monitoring print and broadcast media for coverage that includes mention of projects and experts.  
• Supporting work to promote Governance Studies research, experts, events, and news.  
• Assisting with media relations outreach activities, as appropriate. 
• Assisting with layout and design of research papers, as appropriate.  
• Drafting blog posts. 
• Staffing and organizing public events, as needed. 

Qualifications

Education/Knowledge/Skills:

Undergraduate or graduate students working toward a degree in public policy, political science, communications, journalism, and/or media relations or related fields are encouraged to apply. Our most successful interns have strong writing, social media, analytical, and multi-tasking skills. Experience with copy editing is preferred.

Additional Information:   

This internship requires you to be located in the U.S. for the duration of the internship. 

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for interning at Brookings. 

Brookings requires that all applicants submit a cover letter and resume. Please submit your resume as instructed and add your cover letter as an attachment when you apply. You are required to submit/attach a separate cover letter for each internship application. Your cover letter should highlight your educational experience and skills, along with an explanation of how this internship will contribute to your professional goals.  Please address your cover letter to Hiring Manager. 

Note: Applicants must submit a writing sample. Please upload a writing sample as an attachment when you apply. Selected finalists will be asked to complete a writing assessment.

If selected as a finalist for the internship, you will be required to submit two letters of recommendation or provide two professional references.   

Applications will be accepted until November 3, 2024. Applications not completed and submitted by the application deadline date will not be considered. Your application is considered complete when you receive an email confirming that your application was successfully submitted. 

As you are applying, please be sure to click here to learn more about the Brookings Internship Program, deadlines, and directions on how to successfully submit your internship application(s).  

Brookings welcomes and celebrates diversity in all its forms.  We welcome applications that reflect a variety of backgrounds based on ideology, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, first generation college goers, and other factors protected by law. Brookings is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace.